Association between alcohol consumption and impaired work performance (presenteeism): a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Alcohol-related presenteeism, defined as impaired work performance due to alcohol consumption, is a growing concern in the workplace.
• Understanding the association between employee alcohol use and work performance is crucial for developing effective workplace interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the existing research literature on alcohol-related presenteeism.
• To determine if evidence supports an association between employee alcohol consumption and impaired work performance.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of observational studies published from 1990 onwards was conducted.
• Data from 26 studies, encompassing 132 tested associations, were extracted and analyzed.
• Study quality was assessed, and statistical analyses included frequency tables, cross-tabulations, and chi-squared tests.

Main Results:

• The majority of tested associations (77%) indicated that higher alcohol consumption was linked to impaired work performance.
• Positive associations were significantly more likely to be statistically significant (OR=14.00).
• However, 61% of the associations were characterized by low research quality, and longitudinal designs were lacking.

Conclusions:

• Evidence partially supports the concept of alcohol-related presenteeism, but findings are somewhat inconclusive due to research quality limitations.
• Further robust and less heterogeneous research is warranted to strengthen conclusions.
• The findings support targeting alcohol consumption in workplace interventions to improve employee health and productivity.